Amtrak police cleared the scene and completely reopened James Street around 10:30 a.m.

The 13-foot-tall truck was southbound on James Street when it crashed into the rail bridge, which has a 12-foot, 1-inch clearance. The impact ripped back the top of the trailer, which appeared to have buckled near its middle.

There are clearly visible yellow signs warning drivers of the low clearance posted near both sides of the bridge.

Henry Velazquez, who was driving the truck for a Long Island-based food distributor, called police shortly after 6 a.m. to report he was stuck under the bridge. Police quickly shut down the road and notified Amtrak authorities. New Haven firefighters also were at the scene briefly around 8 a.m.

Velazquez said at the scene he was on his way to a delivery stop further down James Street when the accident happened.

He said he saw the clearance signs but said he’s seen similar signs while driving in Brooklyn and the Bronx and has been able to go under without crashing.

“I thought I would be able to pass because over there when it’s 12 feet (clearance), I pass below it and have no problems,” he said.

He also said his boss normally warns him about low bridges on his routes.

“He knows about the bridge but he’s supposed to tell me about this one,” he said. “But he (didn’t) tell me.”

Velazquez estimated he was doing about 20 or 25 mph down James Street as he approached the bridge. He said he tried to halt the truck but couldn’t bring the heavy trailer to stop before he heard and felt the crunch of metal on metal.

Tony’s Long Wharf Services, a New Haven towing company, showed up to help clear the truck. Velazquez unloaded the contents of his smashed trailer onto a flatbed before it was taken from the scene.

It was not immediately clear whether Velazquez or the trucking company would be cited for the accident.